How to tone your face with facial exercises

Quick and easy facial fitness for a fresh look

How do facial exercises work?

Find out why facial exercises could result in firmer and more radiant skin.

The purpose of facial exercises

Your face contains over 50 different muscles and unlike most of the rest of the body, a lot of these facial muscles are rarely used. By carrying out regular facial exercises, you promote the circulation of blood to the different areas of the face, thus replenishing the oxygen supply in the muscles and the skin. This will result in a bright complexion and beautiful healthy glow.

How often should you perform facial exercises?

Carrying out your facial exercise routine three to five times a week for around 20 minutes is the quickest way to see results and you should start to see changes to your complexion within just a couple of months.

5 benefits of facial exercises

Different facial exercises to enhance your complexion

Whether you’re at work, travelling on an aeroplane or relaxing at home, here are some facial exercises for you to try.

5 simple face tightening exercises

Lift the folds around your nose

Smile as widely as you can and press your fingertips into the folds between your nose and lips. Lift up the muscles whilst pressing down your fingertips into the muscles for resistance. This will strengthen your cheek muscles to give you plump, round cheeks – a classic sign of youth.

Tighten a sagging neck

Your neck is often one of the first places to show signs of aging. To counteract this, simply press the tip of your tongue to the roof of your mouth. Then look upwards with your chin to the ceiling, smile and swallow. Continue doing this for 30-60 seconds.

Smooth out your forehead

To tighten forehead skin, first frown as hard as you can, attempting to bring your eyebrows over your eyes and closer together. Then do the opposite and lift your eyebrows as high as possible, opening your eyes widely. Repeat these movements five times.

Work the muscles around the mouth

Sit down and tilt your head backwards. Tightly pucker your lips and push them forward. Hold for 8-10 seconds and repeat five times for a toned lip area.

For lifted cheek muscles

Close your lips and gently smile, before sucking your cheeks in as far as you can. Hold this position for 8-10 seconds before releasing and repeat this exercise five times.

What is facial yoga?

Unlike some facial exercises, facial yoga is focused on relaxing and toning the face. In the same way that real yoga works areas of muscle tension, facial yoga is intended to counteract the effects of strained facial expressions to leave both the muscles and skin relaxed and rejuvenated.

An example of a facial yoga exercise is simply rubbing your hands together to warm them up before placing your palms over your closed eyes and leaving them there for at least a couple of minutes while you breathe deeply. This will relieve any tension from the eye area.

5 facial exercises to target the eye area

Combat fine lines under the eyes

Partially wink with just one eye, keeping the other open. Hold this position for one second whilst ensuring that you are contracting all of the muscles around the eye. Then release and repeat 20-25 times.

Banish crow’s feet

This exercise is perfect for reducing the appearance of fine lines in the corners of the eyes. Firstly relax the face, then keep your eyes open and lift your lower eyelids without moving the upper ones. Hold for 1-2 seconds before releasing and repeating 20-25 times.

Stimulate blood circulation

Place your three middle fingers underneath each eye and gently pull downwards to open each eye further. As you do this, try to close your eyes, working all the muscles around them. Hold for a period of 8-10 seconds before releasing and repeating five times.

Upper eyelid work-out

Start by using your fingertips to gently lift your eyebrows upwards and outwards. Then use your muscles to try and counteract this movement by pushing your brows back down, holding for 8-10 seconds. Repeat this exercise five times for a natural brow lift.

Gentle toning for the entire eye area

Press two fingers on each of your temples and rapidly open and close your eyelids in a blinking motion for a period of 8-10 seconds. Rest and repeat this five times.